Many Still Looking Away From Owlet, Inc. (NYSE:OWLT)

Owlet, Inc.'s (NYSE:OWLT) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1x might make it look like a strong buy right now compared to the Medical Equipment industry in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 3.3x and even P/S above 7x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly reduced P/S.

View our latest analysis for Owlet

How Has Owlet Performed Recently?

Owlet certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue more than most other companies. One possibility is that the P/S ratio is low because investors think this strong revenue performance might be less impressive moving forward. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Owlet will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

Is There Any Revenue Growth Forecasted For Owlet?

Owlet's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very poor growth or even falling revenue, and importantly, perform much worse than the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 24% last year. Still, revenue has fallen 26% in total from three years ago, which is quite disappointing. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 32% per year as estimated by the lone analyst watching the company. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 9.2% each year growth forecast for the broader industry.

With this in consideration, we find it intriguing that Owlet's P/S sits behind most of its industry peers. It looks like most investors are not convinced at all that the company can achieve future growth expectations.

The Bottom Line On Owlet's P/S

We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

A look at Owlet's revenues reveals that, despite glowing future growth forecasts, its P/S is much lower than we'd expect. The reason for this depressed P/S could potentially be found in the risks the market is pricing in. While the possibility of the share price plunging seems unlikely due to the high growth forecasted for the company, the market does appear to have some hesitation.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Owlet (at least 1 which can't be ignored), and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.